Apple’s Vision Pro, which costs $3,499, is a big step into the world of spatial computing. This is a mix of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR) that aims to change the way we interact with digital content. This headset came out in the U.S. in February 2024 and then spread to other markets, like the UK. It’s Apple’s first big new product since the Apple Watch in 2015. After a lot of testing and reading a lot of reviews, here’s a detailed look at the Vision Pro’s pros and cons and whether it’s worth the high price.
Design and Build: High Quality but Heavy
The Vision Pro is clearly an Apple product because it has a sleek aluminum case, magnesium and carbon fiber parts, and a polished, curved glass front. Compared to other VR headsets like the Meta Quest 3, which have clunky, plastic designs, this one is very different. The headset has a custom-fit system that lets you choose from more than 200 strap and light seal combinations for the best comfort. This makes the experience better and reduces goggle marks, but at 650 grams (plus a 353-gram external battery pack), it’s heavier than competitors like the Quest 3 (515 grams).
The external battery, which connects through a flexible but somewhat awkward cable, powers the device for about two to three hours. This is enough for most sessions, but if you want to watch a whole movie, you’ll need to plug it in. Not having a MagSafe-style connector is a missed chance because it can make the headset shake when you pull on it by accident. People say that their necks hurt after using it for a long time (usually more than two hours), but some people can wear it for up to four hours if it fits well.
Display and Audio: A Sight and Sound Wonder
The Vision Pro’s micro-OLED screens are a big deal because they have 64 pixels in the space of one iPhone pixel. This makes the images very clear and doesn’t have the “screen door” effect that cheaper headsets do. Colors are bright, text is clear, and the 92% DCI-P3 color gamut makes for bright images, but it doesn’t cover the whole range of colors that the human eye can see. The passthrough video, which uses 12 cameras and a LIDAR sensor to show the real world, is the best so far, but it can get noisy and blurry in low light.
Audio is another great feature. The “lumplike” spatial audio speakers create sound that makes you feel like you’re there, so you don’t need earbuds. Watching movies like Avatar: The Way of Water or Apple’s 180-degree Immersive Video content is like being in a private theater. 3D documentaries (Pina) or sports streams add a level of depth that can’t be found anywhere else. But the field of view (FOV) is less than the Quest 3’s 110 degrees, which makes it look like you have binoculars with black edges.
Intuitive but not perfect interface and interaction
Apple’s visionOS is a game-changer because it uses eye and hand tracking to make it possible to play games without a controller. You use an app or button and pinch your thumb and index finger together to move around. This gesture is easy to understand and works well in bright places. The setup process calibrates the headset to your eyes and hands. Most people find it to be easy, but you may need to recalibrate it if the tracking drifts.
The home screen and Control Center are both familiar, making the interface feel like an extension of iOS. Apps float in your physical space, can be resized and pinned, and make your workspace more dynamic. But the lack of haptic feedback and the fact that hand tracking isn’t always accurate can make things like moving 3D models feel clumsy. The Vision Pro’s gesture-only approach may not work as well for fast-paced or precise interactions as headsets with separate controllers, like Sony’s XR headset with a ring and pointer.
A strong point is that it works well with Apple’s ecosystem. The Mac Virtual Display feature turns your Mac’s screen into a huge, curved virtual monitor. This is great for working on the go, but it only supports one virtual screen, unlike competitors like the Quest 3, which can support multiple screens. Apps you know and love, like Mail, Photos, and Safari, work perfectly, but there are some big problems: There are no Google apps like Gmail, and some services, like Netflix, need clunky workarounds in the browser.
Performance: A powerhouse with a lot of potential
The Vision Pro runs tasks very smoothly thanks to Apple’s M2 chip and a new R1 chip. It streams images in 12 milliseconds, which is eight times faster than a blink. When you switch apps or move windows, there is no lag. The headset works with over a million iPhone and iPad apps and more than 600 native VisionOS apps. A common complaint, though, is that there aren’t any “killer apps.” Apple’s Immersive Video and spatial photo/video playback are interesting, but the app ecosystem doesn’t seem as developed as the Quest 3’s large library of VR games.
Use Cases: Entertainment Works Well, Productivity Doesn’t
The Vision Pro is a great personal theater. It’s amazing to be able to put a huge screen anywhere in your space and watch 3D movies or Apple’s Immersive Video content (like a tightrope walk in Norway). When you watch spatial videos shot on an iPhone 15 Pro or the headset itself, they take you back in time and make you feel nostalgic. Gaming, on the other hand, is limited; games like Synth Riders are fun but not as deep as Meta’s, and hand-tracking doesn’t work well in fast-paced situations.
Productivity
The Vision Pro is a mixed bag for work. It’s a portable office that lets you set up apps in a virtual workspace, but the single-monitor Mac Virtual Display and basic iPad-like app versions (like Microsoft Office) make it less appealing than a regular desktop setup. The virtual keyboard is slow, so you need a Bluetooth keyboard to do serious work. Naval architects and other users have found it helpful for doing work from a distance using virtual desktops, but problems like fogging lenses or unreliable eye-tracking in moving environments (like trains) can get in the way of work.
Easy to get to
The Vision Pro has features like head or finger tracking that make it easier for people with disabilities like autism or ADHD to use. Some people may have trouble with the weight and the learning curve at first, though.
Price: At $3,500 (plus accessories like a $200 case or $150 prescription lenses), the Vision Pro is a luxury item that most people can’t afford.
Weight and Comfort: Using it for a long time can hurt your neck, and the external battery is an awkward but necessary part.
App Ecosystem: Its potential is limited by the fact that it doesn’t have any native apps or developer support.
Personas: Apple’s 3D avatars for FaceTime are often called “creepy” or “cartoonish,” which makes them less useful for work.
Battery Life: Two to three hours is enough for light use, but not enough for long sessions.
Bugs and Quirks: Some problems, like UI drift, inconsistent passthrough in low light, and gesture misfires, still happen, but visionOS 2.0 has fixed some of the issues.
The Future: Still Being Worked On
The Vision Pro feels like a first-generation product that has a lot of potential but is having some problems as it grows. Apple has a history of making improvements to its products (for example, the iPhone went from having no App Store to becoming a global standard). This suggests that future versions could fix issues with weight, cost, and a lack of apps. People are talking about a lighter, cheaper Vision Pro and the visionOS 2.0 update, which will add 2D-to-3D photo conversion and better gestures. This shows that Apple is committed, but the platform needs more developer investment to really shine.
Not everyone can use the Vision Pro. It’s best for: Early Adopters, who are tech fans with extra money who want to try out the latest hardware.
Professionals in immersive fields are developers, designers, or creators who make things for spatial computing.
People who love entertainment: those who want a high-end personal movie theater experience.
The Meta Quest 3 ($500) is a better way to get into VR/AR for most people because it focuses more on gaming and is cheaper. Demos at the Apple Store are a great way to try out the Vision Pro before you buy it.
Final Decision: A Beautiful but Uncommon Revolution
The Apple Vision Pro is a technological wonder that combines stunning displays, easy-to-use controls, and Apple’s ecosystem into a device that seems like a glimpse into the future. It can do more for fun than anything else, and it has a lot of potential for getting things done, but it isn’t quite there yet. But for the average person, the high price, weight, and small app ecosystem make it hard to sell. If you’re interested in spatial computing and can afford it, the Vision Pro is a fun experiment. For everyone else, it might be better to wait for a more polished, less expensive version.
